04.10.2011- Under the Sea

Whilst I'm yet to get round to posting about my highlights from London Fashion Week, the sartorial circus has hurtled into Paris, which today played host to the Chanel SS12 presentation at the Grand Palais. An underwater themed set consisting of giant clams, coral and bright white shingle combined with a collection evoking all things subaquatic firmly set the seaside as style inspiration for next season:

Pearl details, iridescent fabrics and mollusc inspired accessories all brought Karl Lagerfeld's vision of Atlantis into vivid, vibrant detail. I love how clearly the concept is translated into the designs, from small details such as the just-stepped-out-of-the-sea hair styling through to shape and colour. And, as if this beautiful collection wasn't enough, Florence Welch became a mermaid for the morning, performing throughout the show from a giant clam shell:

Although I'm not confident that Ariel from The Little Mermaid was the muse for this collection, stranger things have happened, particularly when you consider the Cruella-esque stylings of the Topshop Unique AW11 presentation. Could cartoon characters be becoming unlikely style icons in their own right, I wonder? Anyway, regardless of whether Karl is a Disney fan, I can't post about this collection without including this song (and wondering whether Florence included it in her set!)

What did you think of the Chanel SS12 show?

(Image credit: style.com. Video credit: Youtube.)